On June 29, Abiad, a photojournalist for Remate Online, was the target of a gun attack in Quezon City, alongside three of his relatives, including his four-year-old nephew.According to police, the incident occurred at around 3:50 pm near Corumi Street in Barangay Masambong, with Abiad suffering two gunshot wounds to his body.The injured journalist is currently being treated in hospital and is in a stable condition.
Following the shooting, two unidentified perpetrators boarded a vehicle and fled towards Del Monte Avenue, said the Quezon City Police District. The attack resulted in the death of Abiad's 4-year-old nephew, who had been hospitalised in a critical condition after the incident.
The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) reported that the Philippines National Police and Philippines Drug Enforcement Agencies had used Abiad as a witness in an anti-drug trafficking operation. Anti-drug laws in the Philippines include journalists among potential witnesses in their operations and the inventory of evidence, and police alleged Abiad's involvement as a witness may have been a motive behind his attack.
The practice of journalists registering as witnesses in drug operations is widespread in the Philippines, particularly those covering police and other criminal assignments. Journalists have been known to agree to be witnesses to gain access and establish relationships with law enforcement agencies.
According to the NUJP, this practice places media workers at risk of retaliation and could result in lengthy court proceedings. In certain instances, media professionals have risked contempt of court due to irregularities in operations they signed as a witness. Following the attack, there has been a renewed call to the Presidential Task Force on Media Security from press freedom groups to amend the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act to remove journalists from the list of witnesses required in drug operations.
The attack against Abiad is one incident in a trend of recent assaults on journalists, including the killing of the radio broadcaster Cresenciano Bundoquin by motorcycle-riding gunmen in the Oriental Mindoro province on May 31.Bundoquin was renowned for his hard-hitting coverage of local issues, such as environmental concerns, political developments, and illicit gambling. According to reports, he had received multiple threats before his demise. The Philippines continues to be one of the most dangerous nations in the world for journalists due to persistent killings and intimidation of media workers, with impunity rife.
The NUJP said: “The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines joins the media community in condemning the shooting of Remate Online photojournalist Joshua Abiad, which left him, and three relatives wounded. There is no justification for the shooting of a media worker, but we note news reports that Abiad had signed as witness in drug busts. While agreeing to be a witness in drug operations is commendable and no doubt done out of a sense of civic duty, NUJP has long cautioned against the practice because it puts colleagues at risk.”
The IFJ said: “This heinous attempt at murder, with the journalist’s family and bystanders as arbitrary collateral, is indicative of the increasingly dangerous environment for media in the Philippines. The safety and security of all media workers must be protected, and the country’s current anti-drug legislation poses unnecessary risks to working journalists. The IFJ condemns the violent attack against Joshua Abiad and urges authorities to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into the incident to ensure justice is served.”